Just Say Yes
by xoxButterflysTornadoxox
Summary: He shook off the thought as Melissa chuckled. It was a sweet sound; a lot sweeter than the Jell-O. After everything that's happened in the last month—hell, the last year and a half—he would really like hearing that more often. S.3-AU. Papa Stilinski, Mama McCall, McLinksi. Rated T


"Okay, today's the day," Melissa McCall say excitedly as Sheriff Stilinski swung his legs over the edge of the hospital bed. He's been confided to that thing for the last five days, with a cracked rib, a broken arm and multiple bumps and bruises. Of course, he hated every second of being in the hospital (except for the seconds where Melissa was visiting during her shifts or was his nurse for the day) and didn't think he needed to be in it, but everyone insisted.

"You ready to get out of here?" the dark haired woman asked as he got his feet on the ground. It was easy to do; so was standing, but she still reached out to be ready to brace him.

"Damn right I am," Sheriff grinned and got his jacket off the back of the guest chair beside the bed. He made a sound of protest when Melissa tried to help him into it and she left him to it. Even though it's healing, his rib still pulled when he slid into the sleeves and he had to bite back a groan.

If Melissa heard, she'd rip up his release papers. Once the jacket was on his shoulders and the stinging faded, John worked on getting the cuff opened so it wasn't as tight around his cast. These last few days he wanted to beat everyone over the head with the plaster; that's all it's good for, he told Melissa when they put it on.

Sheriff gave himself a satisfied nod before turning around, only for the smugness to disappear, "Aw, what the hell? Really, Mel? I can walk out of here just fine; my legs weren't even damaged."

"Sorry. Hospital policy," she pushed the wheelchair back and forth before crossing her arms. She didn't _look_ very sorry, John thought as she raised an eyebrow and pierced her lips. "So, are you going to get in yourself or am I going to have to force you?"

With an eye roll—and his teeth biting into his cheek to stop him from smiling—John did what the woman said and got into the wheelchair. He felt stupid and useless in it, but knew he couldn't fight her on it without losing. "Smart choice," Melissa grinned, "To the nurses' station."

John groaned.

"Oh, come on, they love you," Melissa teased as she turned him around towards the room's door. "All I could hear about for the last five days was 'Sheriff Stilinski is so handsome' and 'Sheriff Stilinski is just the kindness man.' I don't know what they're talking about; the first day here you threw your Jell-O at my head,"

"It was yellow," John mumbled against his fist. Melissa took it as he didn't like lemon Jell-O, but it was really because he was cranky and the yellow reminded him of Isaac's eyes glowing before dying out to a dark gray. He shook off the thought as Melissa chuckled. It was a sweet sound; a lot sweeter than the Jell-O. After everything that's happened in the last month—hell, the last year and a half—he would really like hearing that more often.

Just as they made it out into the hallway, Sheriff put his foot off the ledge and onto the floor to stop the wheelchair. Melissa's body came crashing against it and his back with shock before she went to look at him, "You okay?"

He's not sure when he first thought of this; maybe it was just now. Maybe it was when he threw the Jell-O at her head. It was probably years before any of this ever happened but John knew he couldn't ignore it now. "Melissa, will you go to dinner with me?"

She went to stand tall but twisted her ankle and started to tumble. John got a hold of her wrist and steadied her before standing himself. "Uh…what?"

"Dinner. With me."

Big brown eyes blinked up at him before they squinted, "How much pain killers are you on?"

John scoffed, "Mel, I'm not on anything. I'm just trying to ask you out to dinner."

"Like a date." It wasn't a question.  
"Well, yeah, I was hopin' like a date, yeah."

The nurses at the station are watching not so discreetly—news about this will be all over town before he's even outside—and suddenly brave Sheriff Stilinski feels more like awkward Johnny Stilinski asking Bridget Ackleking to the prom in front of all the upper classmen.

Unlike then, the girl says no.

"I don't think that's such a good idea, John." He hasn't asked a lady out since Stiles' mom, hasn't wanted to ask a lady out since Stiles' mom, and he's forgotten how much rejection sucks when you really like the person.

John tries not to show the disappointment on his face but Melissa looks away with guilt anyways, "Why not?"

"With everything that's happened lately…" of course that's it, John sighs heavily. It catches her attention as he looks up at the too bright ceiling.

"Oh, come on, Mel," he shakes his head and lightly holds onto her arm as he meets her eye, "With everything that's happened lately, there couldn't be a better reason to go out together. Our lives were complete chaos, with all the killings and the _werewolves…" _he whispers, making her cringe, "…and everything with the boys. Don't you think we deserve this?"

He has a point. A really good one, Melissa would add if she wasn't so stubborn. She starts to crinkle her nose in protest and John stands up a bit straighter to fight harder.

"Honey, just go out with the man!" Charlotte, the older Latina nurse who makes Melissa miss her mother terribly, shouts from the nurses counter. John grins as the other nurses agree with her—'ya Mel, give him a chance, huh?' 'you can't say no to the sheriff honey' 'just look at his face'—and Melissa hides her face in her hands.

"Don't you have work to do?" She snaps at them. Charlotte waves it off and winks, Sarah rolls her eyes and the devil twins, Molly and Brittney giggle as they go to the personal bins. Once the attentions off her, Melissa ducks her head with embarrassment, "Oh god."

John makes her look at him by holding onto her arms, "Dinner, that's it. Just dinner."

He doesn't bargain that if it's terrible they won't do it again, because he really hopes it won't be terrible and she won't say yes if he mentions it; with their luck, that would be jinxing it anyways.

Melissa contemplates it as she glares at him; it's not harsh, just…analyzing. One night is a lot to ask, she thinks, but this is Sheriff who's asking. "Get back in that chair or no dinner."

It takes everything he's got not to let a dopey grin spread across his face. John backs up into the chair and settles in with a grip on both arms in anticipation before smiling up at her, "Is that a yes?"

Melissa rolls her eyes and sighs. She doesn't respond until she's pushing him towards the elevator, "The things I do for you Stilinski men."

He takes it as a yes.

As they pass the nurses' counter, they all say goodbye to him, affection in their voices mixed with just the right amount of teasing for Melissa. Charlotte leans over the counter to watch them leave, "Bye Sheriff," she says knowingly. He gives her a victorious wink, while Melissa sends a death glare to the woman. She's going to get a lot of crap her next shift.

Melissa says she's not saying yes just yet. She takes him to lunch to celebrate him getting released from the hospital, but it's not a date. Stiles and Scott are there too, how could it be?

"Things aren't back to normal yet. When they are, then we'll go out."  
"Mel, when have things ever been normal? Things will never be normal."

So they agree that if by the time John gets his cast off his arm he still wants to take her out to dinner, they'll go. Things should be somewhat average for their lives by then.

**A/N: I can't believe I freakin' wrote this before anything happened. He better get better so this fuckin' happens!**


End file.
